Kenyan Alex Muriu Wins at Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA) 2015

This year’s winners embody the Pan African essence of the prestigious Innovation Prize for Africa award, representing North, East & Southern Africa
  SKHIRAT, Morocco, May 14, 2015/ -- Kenyan techie Alex Muriu has won  US $ 25,000 In a glittering ceremony  at the the Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA) 2015 .Researcher Adnane Remmal of Morocco  was announced  the Grand Winner 

Alex Mwaura Muriu of Kenya won Second Prize, and South African, Lesley Erica Scott was awarded the Special Prize for Social Impact, receiving US$25 000 respectively.

A jubilant Remmal impressed the expert panel of judges, competing with 10 excellent African innovations spanning the health, environment, technology and agricultural sectors. His innovation, a patented alternative to livestock anti-biotics is set to transform the broader medical and agricultural sector in Africa. The natural innovative anti-microbial formula reduces health hazards in livestock, preventing the transmission of multi-resistant germs and carcinogens to human beings through consumption of milk, eggs and meat. Says Remmal: “My innovation provides farmers with solutions to improve their production; it is cost effective and can be easily adopted, giving farmers increased benefits without the side effects of anti-biotics.”

Murui, a Kenyan entrepreneur, developed a system to meet the perennial challenge faced by African farmers in accessing capital to finance planting and harvesting by providing an alternative from the burden of financial loans through his Farm Capital Africa project.

Today, TB is second only to HIV and AIDS as a leading cause of death in the continent. Using the Smartspot TBCheck, Scott, a South African scientist, has developed an effective World Health Organization (WHO) approved calibration method for TB diagnostic machines. 

Since its inaugural launch in 2011, IPA has attracted some 3000 applications from 49 African countries. Jean Claude Bastos de Morais, AIF Founder and the brainchild of the Prize, now in its fourth edition, is pleased with the level of innovations this year - a total of 925 applications from 41 countries. Commenting on the role of IPA in fostering innovation in Africa, Jean-Claude Bastos de Morais said:

“I am truly impressed with this year’s winning innovations, which have once again surpassed expectations.  At the same time, I am aware that the buck cannot stop here. Let us put it this way; no matter how high a bird flies, it always needs a nest, a base to come back to. African innovators are taking flight, their innovative ideas are increasingly proving to be transformative - not only for Africa - but for the world. Through the IPA, the AIF is fostering the development of robust innovation ecosystems, which are essentially nests for African entrepreneurs and innovators to develop solutions for African challenges”. 

African innovators continue to provide more innovative African solutions to address African problems. This year’s winners have a common theme: their innovations highlight the vital and crucial need to respond directly to demanding community needs - the heart of the AIF mandate. The innovations further demonstrate great potential to change the course of history in Africans’ responses to health, technology, enterprise and the agricultural sector, prioritizing needs-based responses through cost effective means – a critical tool for sustainable development.

The IPA 2015 Awards ceremony was attended by more than 400 people that included high level African dignitaries, ministers, ambassadors, AIF partners, past IPA winners, venture capitalists, innovators, entrepreneurs, local and international media, and young people. The AIF believes that young people (below age 35) are the epi-center of the African innovation ecosystem as they represent 65% of Africa’s 1.1 billion population.

For the first time this year, all nominees received recognition through a US$5 000 voucher as a support fund to boost their different innovations in their home countries.

The IPA 2015 Awards ceremony was compered by Lerato Mbele of BBC Africa Business Report fame. Youssour N’Dour, the Senegalese musical legend provided first class entertainment, backed by Bob Maghrib, a Moroccan ensemble, with popular Bob Marley renditions.

Gerald Kibugi and Gilbert Rono Win Global Appstar Challenge

 KENYANS EMERGES TOPS AT GLOBAL APPS DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGE

Two Kenyans have scooped top honors in the recently concluded Appstar Challenge held in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Gerald Kibugi who presented a game “Tough Jungle”, took the first position in the Appstar Challenge sponsored by global telecommunications giant, Vodafone, while Gilbert Rono took the second slot with an educational application dubbed “Eureka”. 

Kibugi and Rono, won USD 25,000 and USD 15,000 respectively, following a thorough assessment by a global panel of top judges for the challenge which is aimed at spurring growth in the development of local apps in Africa and Asia.

Kibugi and Rono’s apps beat a field of 284 entrants to win Kshs. 1 million and Kshs. 0.5 million respectively in the Kenyan finals organized by leading integrated communications provider, Safaricom Limited last in November.

Accepting their awards, Kibugi and Rono said their respective wins demonstrate that Kenya has indeed come of age in Apps development by showcasing the country’s potential in a field that featured participants South Africa, Egypt, Qatar, Lesotho and Tanzania,

“There are many young Kenyans like us who have devoted their time and other resources to try and address local problems using local solutions that ride on the robust mobile ICT network. This win illustrates that their work is not in vain”, said an ecstatic Kibugi.

Rono added, “We are now confident that we will now move on the next level in this journey, which is to create a vibrant local apps economy in Kenya, by availing these Apps on a platform where it can be acquired in a cost-effective way”.

Congratulating the winners, Safaricom’s Chief Executive Officer Bob Collymore promised to continue working with independent Apps developers, established software labs like the iHub and Universities, with a view to helping position Kenya as the Silicon Savannah.

“With the increased growth in mobile use, innovative mobile apps are becoming an important part of our day to day life. We recognize that huge app development talent exists in the emerging markets and in fact, only such developers can provide applications suitable for the local markets. This competition is an effort to bring out the developers in emerging markets to the limelight,” said he ,Kibugi and Rono are expected back in the country on Friday, December 14, 2012.

Yahsat set to exhibit at the 7th Annual East Africa Com Expo

Yahsat to showcase the benefits of satellite broadband in underserved areas

Monday 16 April, Nairobi, Kenya: Yahsat, a satellite communications company offering multipurpose (Government and Commercial) broadband satellite services in Africa, Middle East and South West Asia, will be showcasing its latest offerings at this year’s East Africa Com Exhibition.

Running from 17- 18 of April and held at Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, the East Africa Com Exhibition aims to give delegates an overview of all the latest “need to know” topics on the world’s foremost technology and solution providers.

Exhibiting at stand no: 6, 7, 8 from 9am-5.30pm on both days, representatives from Yahsat will be on hand to discuss YahClick; its latest offering and solution to receiving satellite broadband in underserved areas.  Proven to be more affordable, widely accessible and with a minimal set up process than its competitors YahClick will be operational later this year once Yahsat’s Y1B satellite is launched from Kazakhstan later this month.

Representing Yahsat at the East Africa Com Expo, Shawkat Ahmed, Chief Commercial Officer said: “East Africa Com is a great platform for organizations like Yahsat to showcase groundbreaking technological inventions.

 

“Our “YahClick” offering is the end service product through which customers will receive their broadband service transmitted through the Y1B satellite. Its core advantage over any other satellite broadband service is that it provides connectivity to remote and underserved areas, bringing affordable, high bandwidth and easily accessible broadband services which take minimal time to set up to its markets. 

“We are working closely with key African Telco providers to ensure the successful roll out of “YahClick” across the region.  In Kenya and Uganda, we are working with Simbanet, whilst in Tanzania we are working jointly with Simbanet and Raha. These are reputable companies that understand the local market and can effectively install and support the “YahClick” service for customers.

“On behalf of Yahsat we are extremely proud to be part of this year’s East Africa Com Expo and look forward to sharing news and updates of our new offerings with our peers and delegates.”

Yahsat’s YIB satellite will be launched on 24th April this year. It will provide South Africa and 27 other countries with Satellite broadband services through the “YahClick” offering.

Focused on pioneering emerging satellite technologies in the Africa, Middle East and South West Asia, Yahsat’s business strategy is to provide the complete range of satellite services to the region becoming the crucial link in the virtuoso circle between business and consumers.

Shimba Technologies Ltd launches MedAfrica App

MedAfrica Mobile App is set to provide about 26 million Kenyans with medical information

Nairobi , Kenya 1^st November 2011………Shimba Technologies Ltd in partnership with Nokia has launched MedAfrica – a mobile  app offering a ground-breaking, go-to source of information regarding medical solutions at the touch of a button. The service aims to make healthcare information affordable and accessible to Kenyans.

 

MedAfrica was born out of the health category of Tuvitu (a mobile content platform by Shimba Technologies). It won the Pivot 25 award - http://pivot25.com/, a regional competition held in April, 2011 in Nairobi. The team got an opportunity to showcase the product at Demo fall, Silicon Valley in July and also emerged as one of the top 10 apps at Demo. 

 “MedAfrica seeks to improve the health of communities and regions in which it operates by increasing access to health care related information and services in Africa. Good health is a universal need that affects the output of communities directly impacting their socioeconomic standing. Shimba Technologies aims to achieve their objective by creating platforms that facilitate dissemination of information and build communities around the different issues and conditions while at the same time converging all stake holders and amplifying their efforts.” said Steve Mutinda, Founder of Shimba Technologies Ltd. The content in the Platform will be provided by the government (Courtesy of Open data), private sector, Academia and the general health practitioners.

Kenya has a population of 40million and 7,000 registered medical practitioners yet it enjoys mobile phone penetration of 26 million. This gives the viability of mobile phones to disseminate the health content in the country. This also applies to other African countries with infrastructural limitations.

Med App Screenshot

“The development demonstrates Nokia’s role in working with local partners to create solutions that are important and relevant to consumers. This app is a truly revolutionary solution to many of consumers who need a one stop access to health services such as symptom checkers, first-aid information, doctor & hospital directories and medical alerts”, said Agatha Gikunda, Head of EDX for Nokia East and Southern Africa

The platform will be accessible via a number of channels – mobile applications (Java, Nokia, and Android), mobile web, Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD), web and short message service (SMS). The start-up is seeking out partnerships with government institutions, pharmaceutical companies, medical associations, medical support groups, non-governmental organizations, mobile network operators and general populations in order to amplify their contribution to health-care service delivery.

“Our mission is to Increase access to health related content and services to save lives and build a healthy population, our target being to reach every house hold in Africa. In this case we have a road map in place where we launch the product in Kenya then scale it to other African Countries” said Jackline Cheruiyot, MedAfrica Team Leader.

MedAfrica promise ease of access to a full spectrum of health info and content Services from the comfort of one’s mobile phone for the Millions of Africans.

”Being a Start-up project, the partnership with Nokia is very critical and as MedAfrica, we appreciate the support. We also appreciate mLab and iHub community for their continued support in different aspects of the product.’ Cheruiyot added.

Shimba Technologies Ltd has spearheaded the development of solutions such as CDFMonitor, KTraffic, RichMobile, and Sarova. For instance CDFMonitor allows constituents to view information on CDF allocation and use in Kenya. KTraffic shows camera views of Kenyan roads and suggestions of alternate roads thus allowing users to avoid traffic jams. 

Shimba Technologies Ltd plans to release an appeal and donations philanthropic platform called Sponsor Kenya that also got shortlisted by the ICT Board’s Tandaa Grant and the second version of the Tuvitu platform come 2012.

Difference Between A Blogger and A Citizen Journalist !

Many of writers online use the two words blogger and Citizen Journalists interchangeably but as the online sphere develops and the issue is critically analyzed a dichotomy is starting to emerge.So is a Citizen Journalist and a blogger one and the same thing? what differentiates or defines the two? This question is pondered upon by Susan Cormier of the National Association of Citizen Journalist(USA)  in the following YouTube Video:





In an attempt at defining Citizen Journalism Wikipedia offers the following definition /opinion:

Citizen journalism (also known as "public", "participatory", "democratic",^[1] "guerrilla"^[2] or "street journalism"^[3]) is the concept of members of the public "playing an active role in the process of collecting, reporting, analyzing and disseminating news and information," according to the seminal 2003 report We Media: How Audiences are Shaping the Future of News and Information.^[4] Authors Bowman and Willis say: "The intent of this participation is to provide independent, reliable, accurate, wide-ranging and relevant information that a democracy requires."
Citizen journalism should not be confused with community journalism or civic journalism, which are practiced by professional journalists, or collaborative journalism, which is practiced by professional and non-professional journalists working together. Citizen journalism is a specific form of citizen media as well as user generated content.

I believe differentiating the two offers fine lines for critique and Divergent viewpoints,question is which preceded the other? are the two terms mutually exclusive ?is there a point where the two converge? Well the purpose of this post is not to theories the application or definition of the two terms but to highlight the emerging trend of differentiating the two and to solicit diverse opinions on the issue-your take?

Cisco Expo Kenya 2011-Review

The Cisco Africa event dubbed "Collaboration and Virtualization Beyond Borders" held at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre in Nairobi was a huge success with soaring attendance levels.
 Speaker after speaker demonstrated  their in-depth knowledge and expertise especially in relation to Cisco products as the Worlds leading networking solutions provider.

Some of the facts that were revealed that i found  particularly impressive is that  many gadgets being used by us in everyday work are increasingly  getting networked through ubiquitous Internet protocols.It is expected that in the next three years there will be 50 billion devices with each person on earth having an average of 7 devices.At current there are 35 billion devices in the market.It was also stated that by 2015 there will be over 265 Million Mobile Broadband subscriptions in Africa.With the increased submarine fibre optic connection ,connectivity will be optimum for use of such devices driving opportunities in the vertical market.

Dan Smoot Vice President Cisco Capital – Worldwide Sales indicated that an audit of the various IP 's in his household revealed around 70.That i presume may be just a typical household out there in the USA making use of I-Pads, I -Phones, Digital Tv's ,Cars ...etcs each having ubiquitous IP addresses.

The World is ecoming increasingly networked and seeing that Cisco shipped many of its experts from various Countries to Kenya for this event and to expound on this trends in networking perhaps reveals the potential that Africa has in emerging opportunities being created by ICT.This is especially so seeing that use of Internet enabled handsets and devices has increased wholesomely within the continent in the recent past and projections are that the curve will remain exponential.

Fadi Salloum With Blogger Martin Gicheru of TechWeez

Attending the conference gave me the opportunity to meet the man who was behind the Social Media
marketing of the event Mr Fadi Salloum -The  Cisco Digital Marketing Program Manager Africa Levant-resident in Beirut. I must say he did a good job and actively engaged Kenya's social media Icons, bloggers...etc to create an online buzz on the event. Fadi deserves a pat on the back -GOOD JOB!What was particurlarly impressive is that he actually did not use a PR firm as such but just using the net he was able to pick the right influencers to pitch on the event.

Tweeps on Twitter covered the event live with photos, blog posts,Facebook Page  twitter updates under the tag #CE11KE which were being beamed on several large screen TV's

The live holographic telepresence demo was a highlight of the event- indeed video calls and virtual meetings are the in things in ICT presently and bound to catch up in emerging economies.By all means the event was truly engaging and enlightening, for further information you can read the timeline @CiscoAfrica

Cisco Expo 2011 Kenya

Cisco Africa will be holding  a premier  IT event   for IT, networking and communications professionals on 28 and 29 June 2011 at Kenyatta International Conference Centre(KICC) Nairobi, Kenya.
The international event which is being held for the first time in Nairobi will operate under the theme: "Collaboration and Virtualisation Beyond Borders".

The highly engaging and educative event will feature top Cisco Executives and leading authorities in the IT and Communication Sector  including but not limited to:

• Dr Bitange Ndemo ,Kenya's intuitive Permanent Secretary at the  Ministry of Information and Communications, 
• Dan Smoot, Vice President -Cisco Capital World Wide Sales
• Pim Versteeg Vice President of Cisco’s Africa Levant region in Emerging Markets
• Sylvia Mulinge : General Manager Enterprise Business Unit Safaricom  
• Tony Shakib: Cisco Vice President Service Provider Group for  Emerging Markets

 Here is a link to a YouTube Video showing Shahab Meshki, General Manager for Cisco in East Africa, announcing the Cisco Expo Kenya Conference!

The welcome statement by the P.S Dr Bitange Ndemo is quite telling as to what to expect, he states:

During the two-day event, delegates will have the opportunity to build knowledge and skills through a wide range of visionary keynote sessions by top Cisco executives, as well as technical and business breakout sessions that will bring enhanced value to their business providing insight into how to stay competitive in the current economic climate. Alongside the conference, is the Cisco Expo exhibition and showcase area, which is also an interactive learning environment where Cisco and their partners showcase and demonstrate their latest technologies. 

 If you are interested in attending this event ,registration is now open at this Link

Don't forget there is a Facebook Poll on the event which you can take and share with your colleagues. Surprises are in store, actually an I-pad is in store for a fortunate winner.

You can also follow on Twitter @CiscoAfica  for live tweets on the event on Twitter, the handle will be #CE11KE


Why not engage the Worlds leading networking and architecture solution provider and educator? See you there !

Kenyan Bloggers Meetup !

If you are a Kenyan Blogger interested in improving your blogging skills and networking with some of Kenya's A List bloggers and other talented bloggers then sign up at BAKE (an acronym for Bloggers Association of Kenya) and lets meet at our first Bloggers Meetup/ Happy Hour this Friday 3rd  June 2011 at Kenpride, Utalii House From 6 pm.

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Improve your interaction with other local bloggers both online and offline!

Nokia E7- Now Available in Kenya

Nokia has just announced the availability of the  new range smart phone the Nokia E7(see the press release and YouTube Video below).That bids good news but !!!!Will the E7 Nokia phone have the wow effect in Kenya (the Likes of the N8), that's a question that the market will determine,sincerely i hope there is an upgrade to the Symbian 3 Software system otherwise you may just have a cool phone but with serious software issues.However on a scale of 1-10 , i would give Nokia a nine anytime...the phones have cool features thats why i find this press release amazing!

All-in-one business smartphone, the Nokia E7, now available in Kenya 

Nairobi, Kenya, 21 April 2011– Nokia has today announced the launch of the highly-anticipated business smartphone, Nokia E7, in the Kenyan market.

 The Nokia E7 is an optimal business phone with great connectivity to work and personal email on a 4-inch touch display and QWERTY keyboard enabling users create, edit and share office documents on a fast, secure intranet access. Nokia E7 users will also be able to easily set up their calendar and sync it with Microsoft Outlook.

 “People are continuing to look for solutions that suit both their work and personal life; in business circles this is known as the ‘consumerisation’ of IT. The Nokia E7 gives people the confidence to bring their own smartphones to the workplace to connect securely to corporate messaging servers,” said Kenneth Oyolla, General Manager for Nokia East and Southern Africa.

 He added: “On the other hand, whether you are an artist, entrepreneur, university student or aspiring world traveller, the Nokia E7 is the only smartphone you will need to get the world’s best mobile navigation and mapping application, thousands of apps, millions of music, and a rich messaging experience.”

 With its tilting, 4-inch ClearBlack display, full keyboard and a fast access to a wide variety of apps directly on the homescreen, the Nokia E7 is the key to having a successful day in or out of the office. Importantly, the device supports business applications from leading enterprise technology partners including Microsoft and IBM.

 For business users, Nokia E7 provides direct, secure and real-time access to email, calendar, contacts, tasks and the corporate directory through Microsoft Exchange servers, as well as Office Communicator Mobile, developed by Microsoft for Nokia smartphones, which brings presence and corporate instant messaging.

 The WhatsApp Messenger is a smartphone messenger available for Nokia, iPhone, Blackberry and Android phones. WhatsApp uses your 3G or Wi-Fi (when available) to message with friends and family. This is a switch from SMS to WhatsApp to enable consumers send and receive messages at no cost. The app can be downloaded from http://www.whatsapp.com/nokia/ 

 Additionally, a wide range of entertainment and social services available on the Nokia E7 make it the perfect off-duty companion, and the Ovi Store offers a wealth of local apps. These include   “Daily Nation” for Kenyan News, Business, Sport and Entertainment and the application gives access to in depth coverage and analysis of issues and breaking news and “Rich”, an application that keeps you updated with the Nairobi Stock Exchange. The Nokia E7 users will be able to use “AroundMe”, an app that allows one to easily and quickly find important businesses and services in your surrounding or any other location. For example, one can find restaurants, banks, gas stations, and other local services with ease. It enables you to view maps, directions, routes, street view, read reviews and even call the business.

The new arrival offers drive or walk navigation in 80 countries. The latest commercial version of Ovi Maps, available immediately via Ovi Store or Ovi Suite, adds visibility to subways, trams and trains, real-time traffic, safety alerts, visibility to parking and petrol stations, speed limit warnings, and improved search and location sharing capabilities.  The Nokia E7 will be selling in retail between 52,000 -54,000 Kenya Shillings.

Here are more reasons why the Nokia E7 is the all-in-one business smartphone:

• Easy access to private and business email
• Create, edit and share office documents and view PDF files with Adobe Reader
• Fast, secure intranet access with the built-in VPN
• High-resolution photos and HD video with the 8 megapixel camera and dual LED flash
• HDMI connectivity to project files, videos and images onto large screens

·         16 gigabytes of on-board flash memory

·         USB-On-The-Go, enabling easy file sharing by connecting a USB stick to the smartphone

Mobile Number Portability in Kenya:How To ?

Kenyans can now switch from mobile phone service providers such as Safaricom, Airtel and Yu and still retain their mobile phone numbers .The day has been long in the waiting and its finally here!Why lie its not everyday that i get inclined to read a press release word for word before i publish it but this press release from Communications Commission of Kenya i just had to read before i publish.Real glad tidings!My survey question for the day;Of the main Service Providers who will bear the most casualty? Your Take.....

MOBILE NUMBER PORTABILITY (MNP) NOW A REALITY !

Nairobi, Friday 1^st April 2011: Mobile phone subscribers in Kenya will from today retain their mobile subscriber numbers whenever they opt to change service providers following the roll out of Mobile Number Portability services by the four mobile operators in line with regulatory requirements.

Kenya joins 62 other countries around the world where number portability has been implemented, including Egypt, and South Africa. 

“The implementation of number portability is expected to deepen the level of competition in the mobile telecommunications market and enhance consumer choice”, says Communications Commission of Kenya Director-General Mr. Charles Njoroge. .

One of major factors that have been discouraging consumers and business firms from changing mobile service providers is the inconveniences of losing contacts with friends, family and business associates. For businesses, change of telephone numbers could have cost implications in regard to advertising.

 These inconveniences have inhibited consumers from taking advantage of the growing competition in the telecommunications market. 

Mr. Njoroge says introduction of number portability will result in improvement in the quality of service as mobile operators fight it out to retain and attract subscribers in their network. 

“In the new dispensation, service providers who do not pay attention to quality and good customer service may find it hard to survive,” the Director-General added. 

The introduction of Mobile Number Portability follows extensive public consultations carried out between 2004 and 2008 which showed that the market was ready for the service.   Given the insights collected during the public consultation exercise, Mobile Number Portability is expected to gain significant acceptability in the market, given the one-time fee per port and relatively short port duration are considered competitive, and unlikely to hinder the uptake of the service.

Mobile number portability was initially meant to kick off last December but was deferred to allow mobile service providers more time to acquire and test their equipment. All mobile service providers signed an agreement with Porting Access Kenya committing to roll out the service as from today.  

“The operators have carried out the necessary tests and we expect the services to kick off without major hitches.  There might be some few teething problems at the beginning but this should be sorted out within the shortest time possible,” says CCK Director-General. 

How to port

All subscribers wishing to port their numbers will be expected to fill in the Mobile Number Portability Form at the retail shop of the mobile operator they intend to switch to and present original identification documents (e.g. I.D. card, Passport or Armed forces I.D. card) for verification. For company lines, an official letter from the organization, duly signed by the relevant authority, will be required. 

Subscribers will also pay a porting fee of Kshs. 200 and will be issued with a new SIM card and will continue to use the services of their current operator until the automated porting process is complete. 

Before the automatic switching process starts, subscribers are expected to save their SIM contacts on their phone or any other form, clear any balance airtime and money in mobile transfer account as well as pay up any borrowed airtime or outstanding bill.

To start the automated porting process subscribers will need to send the word PORT or HAMA to 1501 using their existing SIM card.  The subscriber will then receive an SMS from PORTING bearing either of the following information: Thank you for your SMS. Your porting request is being processed (Asante kwa SMS yako. Ombi lako la kuhama linashughulikiwa); OR your porting request has failed. Please contact your new Operator(Ombi lako la kuhama halijafaulu. Tafadhali wasiliana na Opereta wako mpya).

When the automated switching process is complete, one will receive, within a few minutes (but not longer than 48 hours), an SMS from PORTING bearing either of the following information:  This Account will be closed soon. Please use your SIM card from your new Operator. (Akaunti hii itafungwa karibuni tafadhali tumia SIM CARD yako mpya kutoka kwa Opereta wako mpya) OR Porting Error.  Please contact your new Operator (Kuna shida na ombi lako la kuhama. Tafadhali wasiliana na Opereta wako mpya)..  

The subscriber will then replace their current SIM card with the new SIM Card from the new operator and begin enjoying the services of the new mobile service provider.

Expression Todays Magazine Interview

I was recently privileged to be interviewed by Expression Today Magazine February -March 2011 issue(published by Kenya Media Institute) on my experiences as a blogger and take on ethical issues in blogging in Kenya.If you did not get a copy here is the online rendition from their website ,the title of the item:Meet A Blogger

Nokia's Mobile Internet Strategy Outlook for Africa

Nokia predicts internet to be the next growth frontier for economies as mobile connectivity takes off in Africa   Nairobi, Kenya, March 30 2011:

Nokia, the global mobile phone maker and solutions provider, sees mobile internet and applications as next growth frontier for Sub-Saharan Africa that will help transform the continent’s socio-economic growth.

 New figures indicate that Africa is recovering strongly from the global recession with economic growth, a factor that may help drive penetration of mobile connectivity to 69 percent by 2014, compared to 49 percent in 2009, Ms. Woon Peng, Nokia Head of Services in Middle East and Africa, told delegates at the Innovation Africa Digital Summit in Mombasa recently. 

Ms. Peng said: “Mobile devices provide the world’s largest service delivery platform and given the host of new opportunities it brings mobile connectivity take-off is a convenient vehicle that will deliver us to the next economic growth level. The next phase of mobile revolution is all about locally relevant content and services delivered through handheld devices in areas such as banking, insurance, health and governance. We believe local entrepreneurs have the necessary contextual sensitivity and understanding to create appealing and economically sustainable services.” 

She noted that new disruptive technologies present real opportunities for low and middle income consumers in a continent where internet usage is estimated to be lower than 5 percent. She, however, pointed out that availability of affordable mobile phones and cheaper mobile broadband is helping steer significant economic growth in the region.  

Ms Peng pointed out that low formal employment in Africa has encouraged wide spread entrepreneurial activity and innovation. She added that micro-entrepreneurship in Africa is a massive phenomenon, covering about 90 percent of the employment base and 65 percent of the continental Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Nokia is already supporting establishment of local infrastructure relevant to entrepreneurs and mobile phone user through initiatives like mLab in Kenya and local universities, incubators and developer communities. These efforts, said Ms Peng, are helping improving mobile business skills as well as providing technical assistance to future entrepreneurs. 

“In a region where micro-entrepreneurship is a massive phenomenon, covering 90 percent of the employment base and 65 percent of the continental GDP, increased use of the mobile phone and services is fast becoming critical for development of African economies.Research indicates that in a typical sub-Saharan African country, a 10 percent increase in mobile penetration results to a corresponding 0.8 percent GDP growth.,” said Ms Peng.

According to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) estimates by end of 2010 Africa’s mobile penetration grew by 41 percent, the highest in the world- and economic growth expanded at an average 27 percent in the last five years.

She revealed that Nokia’s next big growth opportunity is to go beyond bringing affordable voice and SMS to delivering affordable web and applications to the next billion consumers adding that “socio-economic empowerment starts from the grassroots of the society.”

“Rural populations live their lives largely outside of the reach of high quality services. Through solutions like Nokia Data Gathering, we are already supporting field workers to collect, send and receive information quickly and securely via a mobile phone helping circumvent infrastructural challenges and speed up data collections needs in sectors such as health, agriculture, environmental conservation, population census and emergency services,” concluded Ms. Peng.

Computers in Schools Event At I-HUB

Computers in schools - wouldn't smartphones be better?
 I have to create a buzz for the above event that will be taking place @Ihub this Friday.
 Wayan Vota, a noted expert on ICT and education  will be discussing the role of mobile phones (and computers) in Kenyan education on Friday March 4th, at the iHub.This will be particularly interesting especially as the whole Country is engulfed in the 2010 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education(KCSE) results released yesterday by the Minister for Education Professor Sam Ongeri.

Mr Vota will explore the possibility of I-pads  and Tablets replace the use of the traditional laptop and Desktops.Considering their size and portability making them available to students in the rural area's may  prove expedient ,less costly save for the actual costs of the items.

Smartphones for schools could be more viable (cost, personable, and battery life) than computers. Yet computers have the form factor, training programs, and applications for education.

See you there at the Ihub on Friday , but do not forget to register(they are throwing in an Ideos phone-now that's a cool incentive dont you think?)
Computers in schools - wouldn't smartphones be better?
Friday, March 04, 9-11AM
@ iHub
Upper Hill Estate, 4th Floor,
Bishop Magua Centre, George Padmore Lane
Nairobi

Airtel Scoops Two Global Mobile Awards

airtel Scoops Two Global Mobile Awards for its Groundbreaking Innovations

·         World’s first Virtual Card on mobile phone recognized by the authoritative mobile industry body for its transformational role in the lives of consumers in Africa

·         Innovations demonstrate Airtel’s winning partnerships with MasterCard, Standard and Chartered and Tango Telecoms

·         The 2011 global mobile awards entries cited as highly competitive and innovative in history

Nairobi, Kenya 16 February, 2011… airtel Africa has today scooped two awards at the premiere annual telecom industry awards, the Mobile World Congress (MWC) Global Mobile Award 2011.

The telecom services provider was awarded the Best Mobile Money Product or solution and Best Customer Care & Customer Relationship Management (CRM) for its recently launched innovative payment product known as airtel OnLine Pay and a customer relationship management solution named airtel Treasure Hunt.

The winning Best Mobile Money Product or Solution, the airtel OnLine Pay is touted as the world’s first virtual card that operates off a wallet residing on a mobile phone. This innovative payment offers communities the opportunity for greater participation in the financial system as they realize the substantial benefits of mobile commerce. The single use debit card offering is a partnership between airtel, MasterCard and Standard Chartered Bank.  

The award was jointly received by airtel Africa’s chief marketing officer, Mr. Andre Beyers and MasterCard International’s Area Head for East and West Africa, Mr. Daniel Momehim during the GSMA congress party and awards ceremony held at the National Palace in Montjuïc, Barcelona, Spain.

airtel’s second plaudit at the event, airtel Treasure Hunt was a joint submission between Airtel and Tango Telecoms, a mobile systems solutions provider. The innovation known as Dynamic Pricing Service gives Airtel the ability to price Voice and Data services dynamically based on location, cell load, time of day, subscriber type and/or subscriber activity. The service was launched in Niger, Uganda, Zambia and Congo. Tango Telecoms was represented at the awards by its VP, Global Channel Sales, Mr. Rory Toole.                

Commenting on behalf of airtel, Mr. Beyers said: “We are driven by the vision of providing affordable and innovative mobile services to consumers across the continent. To earn this award from the most authoritative and global constellation of peers in the industry, three months after the launch of our new brand in Africa, is a  recognition of our efforts to place innovations in the hands of consumers in Africa and will bolster our commitment to walk the talk”

According to the Judges, the Best Mobile Money Product or Solution award aims to recognize and reflect the rapid emergence of the mobile payment, transfer, banking and a host of innovative ‘cashless’ mobile services – in all varied forms. According to the panel, the opportunities for the financial services, ticketing and transport industries, in partnership with the mobile world are limitless, as are the benefits of convenience and value for users.  

The Customer Care or Customer Relationship Management award citation states: The Award recognizes the innovative programmes developed by operators and the products or services developed by CRM solution providers that will increase profitability, reduce costs and maintain a high standard of customer loyalty in this increasingly competitive environment

The two awards mark a key milestone in airtel’s quest for relevant and innovative mobile solutions that are transformation to millions of users across the continent. The Global mobile awards are the most coveted awards in the global mobile industry and encompass leading players across all the subsectors spanning 219 countries, nearly 800 of the world's mobile operators, as well as more than 200 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset makers, software companies, equipment providers, Internet companies, and media and entertainment organizations.   

This is the 16^th edition of the annual award and according to the judging panel, one of the most daunting with 10 categories and more than 470 entries. The full list of winners for the 2011 Global Mobile Awards is available at: http://www.globalmobileawards.com/awards/winners_2011.htm

Kenyans Take To Twitter :#choosepeace, #Kenya28Feb

Its amazing how the internet is readily proving to be an instrument for organizing and coalescing mass action and mass expression . Following the Tunisian and Egyptian protest debacle on the social media site Twitter, Kenyans are coming up with their own rival protests under the following hashtags:

• #Kenya28Feb calling upon Kenyans to voice their discontent with the going ons in the political establishment.
• #ChoosePeace calling on other Kenyans not to follow the ongoing trend of mass protests and disgruntlement, as has been witnessed in the Egyptian protests.

This trending development is of interest to many pundits as it impacts on the role of social media in voicing discontent, mobilization of mass protests in real time , freedom of expression and whether Governments should take an increasing role in policing , monitoring and or regulation of social media.Will  perhaps the present developments result in greater Government scrutiny of Social media?How that turns out a wait and see approach may be best at the moment.

The Open Innovation Africa Summit 2010 – Summing It All Up !

Naivasha, Kenya……Sustainable entrepreneurship. Innovation ecosystem. Technology platform. These are some of the catch-phrases bandied about during the first-ever Open Innovation Africa Summit, which was held in Kenya from November 29 – December 1^st.

The Summit brought together over 200 selected thought leaders from 25 countries across the world to stimulate critical thinking about the role of innovation in sustainable socio-economic development and to contribute to creating a conducive environment for innovative entrepreneurial activity in Africa. The OIAS was designed as an energetic learning environment that featured visualisations, parallel working, feedback, and open dialogue.

“Every individual in this room already possesses an answer”. This was just one of the interesting quotes displayed in the plenary hall throughout the Summit. True to this, delegates came up with a joint vision for an innovation ecosystem and sought to foster trust between stakeholders. This was partly through building networks and establishing partnerships to stimulate collaboration. Delegates also highlighted critical policy recommendations and best practices in sustainable, open innovation as well as the vital role played by mobile and other technologies in building an information society and stimulating entrepreneurship.

The Summit also identified priority projects in an attempt to answer pertinent questions. Some of these included: how can we stimulate innovation? How can we create an environment that allows innovations to trickle down and positively impact society? Who are the players in innovation? How do these players interact? Can entrepreneurship be both profitable and sustainable? How can we stimulate local content and software development? What role does technology play in stimulating human capital growth?

Discussions on these and other topics took place under four thematic areas of African Innovation Ecosystem: enabling innovation for sustainable socio-economic development; Emerging Market Business Models: building African success stories; Technology Platforms: leveraging technology to deliver public and private services to the underserved; and Human Capital – Education for All: developing skills using technology.

The vision for an open innovation ecosystem

From the Summit, it emerged that an open innovation system demands that a variety of players from diverse dimensions of innovation be involved. These players work together to develop and make available new products and services that sustainably improve the livelihoods of members of society, and particularly low-income earners. An open innovation system therefore recognizes the unique roles of all players including (grassroots) communities, academia, and the private sector and fosters their substantive participation in innovation.

The 2020 Africa open innovation ecosystem recognizes innovation as a systemic activity and therefore facilitates interaction between key stakeholders. There is a clear, interactive policy process; partnerships are innovative and aligned such that the unique strengths of each actor are optimally combined. There is meaningful cross-collaboration between ministries and multi-sectoral plans and platforms are in place. This enabling environment provides private sector/innovation support services, innovative funding mechanisms and breaks down barriers to business so that small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which play an immense role in innovation, can flourish.

The envisaged Africa innovation ecosystem incorporates the other tenets of innovation such as improved investment in research and development, multi-helix arrangements that go beyond public-private partnerships and commercialisation of innovations. The 2020 ecosystem also considers the changing nature of innovation from an isolated “ivory tower” activity to one of networking where players bring ideas together online through simulations and other contemporary approaches. This results in the creation of wealth and jobs.

Local innovations and the role of “new” education

People are inherently innovative. In the 2020 Africa innovation ecosystem, local/grassroots innovations based on the potential of communities and on ready opportunities re particularly encouraged and prized; entrepreneurs from all spheres play a role in transforming impoverished communities to basic-needs consumers. This means that the 2020 innovation ecosystem recognizes the central role of education in building creative, confident, inquisitive and problem-solving mindsets and fostering a culture of continual learning. Traditional, exam-centred education systems are not applicable in the envisioned innovation ecosystem. Instead, there is a move towards creating a more flexible education environment to foster and facilitate progressive learning, experimenting, innovation and keeping up with global trends. Such an environment equips students with the relevant knowledge to stimulate ideas and translate these into innovations that benefit society.

Thought leaders in the ICT sector have often considered mobile phone technologies as a wasted resource in “Education for All” policy and advocacy. “Education for All” is one the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that are set to be achieved by 2015. Mobile phone technologies are especially important in the African context considering the increasing orientation towards new media and the astounding growth of mobile handset penetration on the continent. Africa is a book-poor but relatively mobile-rich society; while only about 7% of schools have a well-stocked, functioning library, mobile handset penetration ranges from 45-50%. Mobile learning (m-learning) therefore presents huge potential for both learners and educators in Africa. The introduction of m-learning and other contemporary approaches to education begs the question of content for Africa – what are the possibilities for the continent regarding the generation of local and affordable content that is relevant in the global context?

Africa must harness the immense human capital that it boasts. One way to do this is to develop holistic “ICT for Education” policies to harness the power of the numerous emerging new technologies as well as to participate in the development of new technologies for better learning.

Sustainable innovation “by users, with users and for users”

The resulting new, profitable and user-driven products and services developed by, with and for the so-called Base of the Pyramid (BoP) are sustainable as they are relevant to the market and can attract private sector investment. Base of the Pyramid is a socio-economic designation for the 4-5 billion people that live at the base of the income pyramid and an emerging business strategy that focuses on products, services, and enterprises to serve this income segment. 60-95% of Africa’s population can be considered as belonging to the BoP.

Africa should develop new models which will sustain delivery of services and provide new opportunities for wealth accumulation and empowerment at the BoP. These new models would partly consist of sustainable value chains and services which incorporate policies that stimulate community innovation, support the creation/scaling up of new businesses, enable wider and faster distribution of services and products, and expand the role of the BoP from being mere customers to becoming distributors and suppliers. Sustainability models for the BoP should strengthen the link between BoP consumers and Research and Development (R&D) and provide creative financing to support consumer-oriented innovation. BoP innovators also need help in articulating a clear value proposition and building trust and confidence in the value chain.

Room for high-tech thinking

Innovation entrepreneurship in Africa would also benefit greatly from designated innovation hubs “i-hubs” that provide the infrastructural and knowledge links across the region and make use of various technologies to stay abreast of global trends. Already, a number of African countries have set up “i-hubs”. 

Increasing interest in the role of the internet and growing capacity in the development and use of mobile technologies on the continent provides fertile ground for Africa to compete effectively in the technological marketplace.